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(NEWZIMBABWE) Zimbabwe accuses Botswana of 'extreme provovation'

Zimbabwe accuses Botswana of 'extreme provovation'
By Nelson Banya
Posted to the web: 05/11/2008 11:17:21

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's government on Wednesday accused Botswanan President Ian Khama of interference and said his call for fresh elections to solve Zimbabwe's political crisis was an "act of extreme provocation".

Khama, who has emerged as one of Mugabe's staunchest critics in Africa, told Botswana's parliament on Monday that an election was the only way out of the deadlock that threatens to derail a power-sharing deal between Mugabe and the opposition MDC.

"The statement he has made to his country is an act of extreme provocation to Zimbabwe," Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa was quoted as saying in Zimbabwe's state-controlled Herald newspaper.

"He has no right under international law as an individual or country to interfere in our domestic affairs."

The Herald also reported that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai travelled to Botswana on the same day that Khama made his remarks -- using the same travel document that he refused to use to attend a summit of Southern African leaders in Swaziland three weeks ago, because his passport had not been renewed.

Chinamasa said it was becoming evident to all that an "unholy alliance exists between President Khama on one hand and Tsvangirai on the other hand".

"It is also clear that he (President Khama) is acting proxy in picking a quarrel with Zimbabwe," Chinamasa said. "Elections are the prerogative of Zimbabweans and when they are ready to be held is a matter of our Constitution.

"Similarly, whether elections are validly conducted it’s the matter which will be determined by our judiciary in accordance with the Constitution and electoral laws."

The diplomatic row errupted just days before the Southern African Development Community, a 15-nation regional bloc, was scheduled to hold an emergency summit in South Africa to discuss the political stalemate in Zimbabwe.

A smaller SADC meeting in Harare last month failed to break the impasse.

Mugabe and the leaders of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change agreed on Sept. 15 to share power, but talks have stalled over control of ministries.

Setting up a unity government is seen as critical to reversing an economic meltdown in the southern African nation.

Zimbabweans are struggling to survive amid widespread shortages of meat, milk and other basic commodities as a result of the collapse of the agricultural sector. The country is dependent on food handouts and malnutrition is on the rise.

Tsvangirai, would would become prime minister under the power-sharing deal, has accused Mugabe's Zanu PF of trying to seize the lion's share of important ministries to try to relegate the MDC to the role of junior partner.

The MDC won a March parliamentary election. - Reuters

Labels: BOTSWANA, IAN KHAMA, MUGABE

posted by MrK @ 7:41 PM